HJNO Sep/Oct 2021

62 SEP / OCT 2021  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Hospital Rounds project is starting. Ochsner Health is uniquely positioned to collect samples for sequencing as we conduct most of the testing in the state and have broad geographic reach,” said Feehan. Globally, multiple variant strains have emerged, and many appear more infectious than the orig- inal strain of SARS-CoV-2: Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Delta (B.1.617.2), Epsilon (B.1.429/427) and Gamma (P.1) variants. Samples for sequencing will be collected from individuals in Louisiana who are reinfected with the virus, are immunocompro- mised and have experienced long hospital stays. Bella Bowman Foundation Commits $500K to Build Bella’s RoomPalliative Care Suite at Children’s Hospital NO The Bella Bowman Foundation has commit- ted to a $500,000 gift toward Children’s Hospi- tal New Orleans’ capital campaign, Extraordinary Together, for the construction of Bella’s Room, a three-room comfort suite designed to be a sanc- tuary for delivering expert end-of-life care for the child, as well as the whole family. The palliative care program at Children’s Hospi- tal New Orleans, known as the Pelican Krewe, is an interdisciplinary team that provides an extra layer of support for children and families living with seri- ous illness. Bella’s Room will amplify the level of care the Pelican Krewe provides for patients and families nearing end of life, as an oasis for patients and their families. “Bella’s Room will not only be specifically designed with each child we have had the honor to care for in mind, it will also promote comfort and solace for the entire family,” said Alexis Mor- vant, MD, assistant professor of clinical pediat- rics at LSU Health and chief of palliative care at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “With the gen- erous support of the Bella Bowman Foundation, honoring sweet Bella’s legacy, we will transform the way children and families across Louisiana and the Gulf South experience serious illness and end of life care.” The Bella’s Room Comfort Suite will consist of a three-room suite available in the hospital for chil- dren in need of end-of-life care and their fami- lies. The center room will provide the child with a medically safe place to stay, an adjourning room is designed for families to sleep and experience respite, and a third room will serve as a gathering place for extended family. “This commitment is important to our founda- tion and to Bella’s legacy,” said Trey Bowman, president of the Bella Bowman Foundation and Bella’s father. “By transforming Bella’s Room into a space designed for each child’s interests, we can help bring an additional level of home-like com- fort to patients and families while in the hospital.” “We are incredibly inspired by Bella’s story, and the commitment of the Bella Bowman Founda- tion to take their difficult journey and in return do something incredibly positive for others fac- ing similar unimaginable experiences,” said John R. Nickens IV, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “The Bowman Founda- tion’s generous commitment will deliver mean- ingful experiences for families that will last a life- time, and we are proud to partner to bring this vision to life.” Construction for Bella’s Room will begin this fall, and the space is expected to open in early 2022. Terrebonne General Health SystemAwarded a Safety Grant Terrebonne General Health System was announced as a 2021 recipient of the Funds for Safety Grant sponsored and funded by the Loui- siana Hospital Association Trust Funds. The facility has previously received the award four times, most recently in 2019. The 2021 safety grant will be used to purchase a neonatal simulator to improve the care of Neona- tal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients. This spe- cialized technology allows clinical staff to simulate high-risk scenarios in a safe, controlled setting to improve neonatal outcomes. Terrebonne General will complete this improvement over the next year. Bernhard, LCMCHealth Announce Landmark Energy Arrangement Bernhard and LCMC Health have announced a 15-year agreement to provide Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) solutions at six of LCMC Health’s facilities. The EaaS arrangement transfers the risk of utility operations and maintenance of LCMC Health’s chilled water system to Bernhard and allows for state-of-the-art infrastructure upgrades. “This agreement allows us to improve and strengthen our facilities, better serve the needs of our community, and focus on our healthcare mission,” said Greg Feirn, LCMC Health CEO. “Bernhard’s technical, design, and financial expe- rience in projects across the country proves they understand the stakes to provide not only sus- tainable, but reliable energy services for health- care facilities.” Terrebonne General Health System was announced as a 2021 recipient of the Funds for Safety Grant sponsored and funded by the Louisiana Hospital Association Trust Funds. Pictured here are Latoya Turner, RN, Emily Taylor, RN, and Donna Ward, RN, all members of the team that worked to achieve the safety grant.